WINSTED >> Including interims, Winchester has had 23 different town managers dating back to 1962. After the events of last Thursday, Winsted locals can add another name to the list.

Ross Herzog, the assistant tax collector, has been appointed to serve as the interim town manager during Dale Martin’s 30-day suspension. Martin was removed from office last Thursday during a special meeting at the Pearson Gymnasium. Before a storm of boos and shouts from the crowd, Mayor Marsha Sterling outlined how the board has lost confidence in Martin.

On September 18, there will be a public hearing for Martin. According to the town charter, Martin “shall not be removed until such public hearing has been held.”

In the meantime, the job falls to Herzog. Herzog is a Winsted native who worked for 10 years in the financial service sector. Prior to that, Herzog worked for an accounting firm in Hartford. Herzog was hired as the assistant tax collector in Winchester Town Hall in 2010 and has held that position since then.

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Monday was just his second day on the job, but Herzog said he is confident he can fill in and do a fine job in the coming 30 days. He said he isn’t worried about the office aspect of the position.

“I know the town. I know the departments,” Herzog said. “I’m just hoping to do my best for the townspeople.

Herzog said he spent the better part of Monday catching up with each of the departments and finding out what is outstanding. He said he plans to piece together an action plan for the next 30 days to address any issues that come up.

His biggest priorities, he said, are getting the budgets up to date and seeing some of the infrastructure reviewed.

“I’d like to just make sure that the departments have the tools necessary to really do their jobs,” Herzog said.

Herzog said he was pulled aside by Sterling last week at town hall and asked if he would be interested in the position.

“I responded confidently that I would be able to fulfill what she was looking for,” Herzog said.

The Board of Selectmen, which has been as rife with turnover as the Town Manager’s office, has its own job security issues to worry about. Sterling and Glenn Albanesius, both Republicans, were appointed in April to replace Lisa Smith and Robert Vogt, who each resigned unexpectedly.

The Democrats challenged these appointments and petitioned for a special election, which will be held on Sept. 13. Albanesius and Sterling will run against Steve Sedlack and Virginia Charette, both Democrats. The Republicans are leading the charge to oust Martin, while the Democratic candidates and current board members support keeping him.

The timing of the election could be Martin’s saving grace. It takes five votes to fire a town manager, which the Republicans currently have. If they were to lose either of the seats to the Democrats, Martin would stay on, unless one of the Democrats had a change of heart. Martin’s public hearing will be five days later on Sept. 18.

Whether the number of town managers in the past 52 years swells to 25, it seems, will be up to the voters.

Reach Ryan Flynn at 860-294-0155.

TOWN MANAGERS 1962-2014

The total number of different Town Managers is 24, but the office has changed hands (sometimes with an interim becoming full-time manager) 36 times. The following is from town hall records.